It's not easy. He hit puberty early. At eleven his voice changed, he grew a foot, and he started needing to shave his upper lip once a week. He'll only hug me from behind now, so that I can't hug him back. When I drop him off at school, he jumps out of the car while it's still moving. When I pick him up, he jumps in and yells, "Go! Go! Go!" as if he's just robbed a bank. Sometimes I ask him if he's told the other kids he's an orphan, and I'm blowing his cover. I try hard not to be insulted.
AND THEN....
the other day my son; my towering, deep-voiced little boy so painfully in flux between his new life and his old, proudly handed me a box. Inside was a blue velvet pouch with a pair of pearl earrings. They are beautiful. They are my favorite. It was the most spot-on gift I've received from a male, regardless of age. The card read, in part, "I guess I should give you a hug because I don't give you any." I took the hug and the pearls, and I keep them both close to me as a reminder that there's still a little boy's heart inside that changing body.
12-year old boys are SO special; absolutely nothing like it!
ReplyDeleteYour comments are keeping me going..thanks MaMaZu.
ReplyDeleteSo right, a tear-jerker. I can soooo relate. Amazing changes at work when you can see the man peaking out of the boy.
ReplyDeleteTammy-I like your image of "the man peeking out of the boy"...want to ghost write for my blog? ;)
ReplyDeleteUnexpected gifts are always the ones that mean the most!
ReplyDeleteTravelgirl, you're so right!
ReplyDeleteMan, this made me cry. Not because of the pearl earings, though he is SO SWEET to have thought of them for you, but becuase my little baby boy is now almost two, and I just caught a glimpse of the future in your post. He used to cuddle like crazy just a couple of months ago and now when I get him from his crib in the morning he'd rather rappel off me to get to his toys on the ground then share a nice little hug. Ah...how things change. Your son is a beauty.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous-two is such a big year for changes...and your little boy is so fortunate to have loving arms to fall back into whenever he needs it! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJust clicked through from ohdeedoh. Oh.my.goodness. this is the sweetest post I've ever read. I have a two year old son and while I would love to keep him at this age forever, I also can't wait to know what he's going to be like at 12. Hugs to you and your adorable, sweet 12 year old!
ReplyDeleteHi Maryanne-thanks so much for your kind note...I was crying all over my keyboard as I typed that piece. It's both terrifying and thrilling to watch them separate from you and become their own person...aw geez, I'm going to cry again. I will say that all the hard work you're putting in now at age two is really going to show at twelve, and it's a beautiful thing to behold! All the best to you and your little one, Maryanne!
ReplyDeleteGeez! I'm a 45 y.o. male and I teared up. It reminded me of an innocent and un-jaded time in my life. Thanx for sharing
ReplyDeleteaaawww, that's so sweet. thanks for sharing that precious moment.
ReplyDeleteMista Masaai and La Alicia,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the time to let me know what you thought! Come one back any time...Summer @ modernhaus
This is such a touching post... I teared...
ReplyDeleteThanks Wintam-I re-read it every time I need to remember to have compassion for him ;)
ReplyDeleteJust found you this morning via The Brick House. This post made me tear up, too, and my baby boy is 21. There are (thankfully) again moments like this with him, though getting a hug is impossible unless he's leaving for college and then it's one of those lames-ish one-arm jobs. But I'll take it. Two weeks in a row now he has mown the yard without me saying, thinking or much less fussing one single word, which feels huge. Love your blog.
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